A Different Outcome
by Flamesandembers97
Summary: What if Kara couldn't lift the submarine out the water? What if, to save everyone, she had to make a hard decision? Just something I couldn't get out of my head after watching season 3 premiere. One-shot unless people want me to continue!
1. Chapter 1

"They are under water." Kara realizes. Of course, even a cloaking device cannot disguise a missile. Or the trail of smoke that will be left behind as it makes its way to its' destination. Kara flies upwards and stops about 200 feet above the water. _Focus Kara, Focus._ She closes her eyes and listens. At first all she hears is the bustle of the city, the sirens, the motors, and the screams of terror below. She focuses harder, focuses on the water. She hears the waves first. The relaxing sound of the water meeting the land seemingly out of place in the current state of panic. She then hears the fish swimming below the surface, she focuses more on the reaching the bottom of the water. Then she hears it. Faint, but there is no mistaking the sound of a human heart beat. Especially one that is beating wildly from the adrenaline of the attack.

She dives straight towards the water, her only goal; to stop the attack. To save the countless innocent lives on the water front. Not to mention the fact that the people she loves are up there. Alex, Maggie, and Lena are all in harm's way. There is nothing else that matters right now. This is what Alex—well, all her other friends too—don't understand. When she is Supergirl she has one goal. To save lives, to protect the city. Everything else… fades into the background when she in wearing the cape. It's a sweet reprieve from the memories of Mon-El, from remembering his words before he was sent away into the endless darkness of space. Sent away by her. Like she told Alex, why would she ever choose to be the sad girl that lost her boyfriend, if she can choose to be the hero that saved the city?

"She can't breathe underwater." She hears Alex say through the coms, more to herself than anyone else.

 _Thanks for the reminder sis._ Kara thinks as she mentally rolls her eyes. But Alex isn't wrong. While she can hold her breath longer than the average human she still cannot survive under water for more than five minutes. It's the reason she has always hated the water. Other than losing her powers, it's one of the only times she feels vulnerable. It's funny really, she can stop bullets, lift buildings from the ground, but water scares her.

She is brought back to the present when she spots her target. Well, she doesn't so much see the target as much as she sees how the water seems to shimmer near the bottom. She strains against the water as she meets the side of the submarine and pushes with all her strength. Even though it only knocks the submarine to the side she can hear the yells and the crashes from the inside as items are thrown from their shelves. However, before she can think of her next move the mechanical doors that house the missiles open and another one starts propelling itself toward the water front.

Making the decision to leave the submarine behind, she swims after the missile. _Come on, come on, almost there._ But as she is just about to reach the propeller of the missile it detonates. Even underwater she is engulfed in a blast of flames and the shockwave knocks her unconscious for a moment. When she comes to she knows she hasn't been out for long. Her ears ring and her lungs are starting to ache. The shock wave had knocked some precious air out of her lungs.

"Oh no. Supergirl?" She hears Alex say into the coms desperately hoping for an answer. "Supergirl! Kara answer me!"

Kara knows she needs air soon, knows that Alex is worried. That her sister deserves an answer. But she can't right now, she needs to finish this. Her strength is dwindling as her lungs start to scream for air. But air will have to wait. As she regains her composure, Kara swims up toward the submarine that is now looming over her. She makes it to the submarine just in time to stop the third missile from exiting and heading for more destruction. She fights against the force of the missile and forces it back into the door way it came from. Her strength is deteriorating fast and she knows there is only one thing she can do. _Please forgive me Alex._ She closes her eyes and thinks of Mon-El, she hopes she will see him soon. She opens her eyes and with one last thought of Alex she uses her heat vision on the missile. The submarine is torn apart from the inside out as the missile detonates and sets off all the others on the vessel. Kara looks up at the surface and sees the sun above the water. She sees Mon-El smiling and holding his hand out to her, inviting her. She smiles back and reaches for his hand, then everything goes black.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, thank you for all the wonderful reviews and encouragement to continue! It is much appreciated. I do have a plan for this to be either 4/5 chapters long, just depends on where the story takes me! FYI, will be getting to see the story from multiple points of view. Oh, and Leapyearbaby29 asked if this was going to be a Karamel or Supercorp. Without giving too much away, I am not a big Karamel fan. But I do think the show kind of glossed over her grief from losing Mon-El and she just kinda got over it at the end. So, there will be some emotions relating to the memory of Mon-el but it won't be the focus of the story. Anyways, enough of me, all mistakes are my own and I do not own Supergirl. Enjoy chapter 2 and keep the reviews coming! Reviews give me life:)**

"Supergirl? Kara answer me!" Alex waits with baited breath for a reply. She is desperate for the sound of her sister's voice over the coms. Kara's usual exasperated "I am fine," would be a welcome sound. But it doesn't come.

"Kara?" she tries again. Her voice becoming more strained as the minutes go by. She sighs heavily, for now, they can only wait. Maggie reaches down and grips her hand and gives her a reassuring look as she squeezes her hand in a comforting manner. As if to say, "she'll be okay, she always is." But unlike Alex, Maggie doesn't know how Kara is with water. Sure, she is mostly indestructible. Kara can stop bullets and take a punch like no one else. But still, she has her weaknesses. And as insignificant as it may seem water is one of them. Her alien biology has given Kara many advantages over the average human, but the ability to breath underwater isn't part of the repertoire. She can hold her breath for long durations, even use her heat vision underwater. Nonetheless, breathing is kind of important.

The seconds seem to tick by ever so slowly as she waits for a response. The blast that came from under water just a moment before was still a hundred yards from the shoreline when it detonated. _So, what made it go off if it didn't make contact?_ Alex thinks. But deep down she knew her sister was to thank for that. She scans the water again, looking for any sign of Supergirl. The telltale red cape or a glimmer from her wavy blonde hair that never seems out of place. Alex always supposed it was yet another advantage of having alien genes. Still she never thought it was fair. Kara can fly around the city, even break the sound barrier, and there is never a single strand of hair out of place.

As she examinations the water impatiently she sees J'onn in her peripheral vision. He stands in between Maggie and Alex and like them, scans the water for any sign of Kara. But what they see isn't the red cape, it isn't her blonde hair reflecting the sunlight. No, what they see is so much worse. An explosion, one bigger than any one missile could cause, sends a plume of water in all directions. Alex ducks and covers Maggie with her own body. _That wasn't just a_ missile. Is the only thought in Alex's mind. Her ears are ringing from the force of the blast and there is water still raining down from the sky.

"Kara!" She screams as loudly as possible. Her baby sister is out there somewhere, and its Alex's job to protect her. Just a couple months ago she faced off with the queen of the Daxamite's and won. She saved not only National City but maybe the whole world. She made a sacrifice that Alex could've never made. Kara is not only physically, but mentally the strongest person Alex knows. And damn it she isn't going to be taken down by a missile. _But that wasn't just a missile,_ she reminds herself.

Alex looks to her right at Maggie. Maggie however, isn't looking at her but looking out at the water, a worried expression on her face. J'onn, now in his Martian form, is flying over where the explosion occurred, presumably trying to look for any signs of Supergirl. Alex hadn't even noticed he had taken off. She watches as he circles the blast zone, debris liters the water as it rises to the surface. Chunks of plastic and some lighter metal is hardly identifiable, presumably because it was all ripped to shreds in the explosion.

Seeming to have no luck seeing anything by surveying the water, J'onn pauses and focuses his telepathy. His eyes glow red as he reaches out with his mind trying to find Kara. After a few moments, J'onn turns and dives into the water. For minutes Alex holds her breath, hoping and even praying to a god that she isn't even sure exists. She can't bear the thought of never seeing Kara's trademark "sunny Danvers smile" again.

"Alex?" a fearful voice calls. Alex would know that voice anywhere, although she is not used to it sounding so unsure. The voice of Lena Luthor is usually measured and even but now sounds more panicked and worried. She turns to see Lena running towards the spot where her and Maggie are currently waiting. Lena's hair is a mess, her high ponytail now hanging limply and her long raven hair now tousled. Her gray business jacket and skirt are not fairing much better. But she looks unharmed for the most part, which is a relief because Alex knows the Luthor is Kara's best friend.

"What are you doing here? Is Kara here with you? Is she okay?" Lena fires off the rapid-fire questions without even pausing for breath. Alex can hardly blame her. While she knows Lena is used to turmoil in her life, she also doesn't fight aliens for a living like Alex and Maggie do.

"Lena, hey." Alex says finding her voice. "No, me and Maggie were running security as a favor for a friend. Kara isn't here."

It took everything in Alex not to get choked up on Kara's name. She needs to find her sister. She has been underwater for a long time, too long.

"You should get out of here," Alex says trying to keep the panic from her voice. She wants to turn around and dive into the water herself. _What is taking J'onn so damn long?_

"What about—" Lena stops midsentence and looks out over the water with horror. "Oh, my god."

Alex immediately turns and the image she sees nearly breaks her. J'onn is flying towards them carrying Supergirl's limp form in his arms.

"Supergirl! No!" Alex exclaims, still being careful to protect her sister's identity in front of Lena. Alex watches as J'onn gets closer, he stops right above them and quickly but carefully descends to the ground. Alex is on him before he lands. As she takes in the sight of her sister she wants to scream. Kara is limp, her usually golden toned skin pale and colorless. Her blonde waves are lifeless as her hair clings to her neck and face. Alex grabs Kara's arm and helps J'onn gingerly lower her to the ground.

Alex gently wipes the hair out of her face. _You better not leave me now Kara, not after all we've been through._ Mustering up the courage Alex reaches for Kara's neck with two fingers. She hesitates only briefly before she places them on the pulse point below Kara's jaw. She waits 3 seconds, 5, even 10 seconds. Nothing. Alex swears in that moment her heart stops beating too.

"No, no, no, no, Kara? Wake up, come on talk to me." Alex is frantic now. Lightly slapping Kara's cheek as she mutters pleas for her to wake up.

Alex feels hands pulling at her, and someone murmuring words. Something that sounds like she needs to move. If Alex was in less of shock she would've scoffed. Move? Away from her little sister? They must be crazy, Alex isn't going anywhere. She would stay here forever if she had to. Soft hands caress her face and force her to look up. Maggie crouches before her, she drops one hand to Alex's shoulder while the other stays against her cheek. Alex can barely see Maggie through the tears in her eyes. She doesn't even remember when she started crying. Not that it matters now. Now that Kara is lying lifeless in her arms.

"Alex, baby you need to let Lena help her. She is not breathing, we need to start CPR." Despite her even and reassuring tone Maggie's hand quivers against Alex's face, betraying her uncertainty.

Alex can do nothing but nod and let herself be pulled away from her sister. She watches as Lena, with help from J'onn, turns Kara completely on her back and starts CPR. _I'm so sorry Kara. You deserve so much better. I know its selfish and you've gone through so much. But god Kara, please don't leave me._ Unable to watch as they attempt to restart Kara's heart, Alex closes her eyes and prays that this is all a bad dream.


	3. Chapter 3

Lena Luthor has never been the sentimental type. Sure, she has done her fair share of crying, especially recently, but she would much rather drown her sorrows in alcohol and channel all her emotions into anger. However, there is nothing quite like watching National City's being carried back to the waterfront, her body showing no signs of life. It makes Lena's heart clench in fear, fear of losing the cities hero, but mostly fear of losing her best friend.

Yes, she knows Kara Danvers is Supergirl. Well, she very strongly _suspects_ it, she should say. She has been keeping a mental checklist of "reasons why Kara Danver is Supergirl," for a while now. A ponytail and a pair of glasses isn't the greatest disguise and does nothing to hide those strikingly blue eyes. Eyes that as Kara are sweet and inviting, and as Supergirl are strong and hold authority. The only thing that made Lena doubt her own suspicions was how different Kara's clumsy, rambling personality was compared to Supergirl's strong, demanding one.

Yet, Lena thinks of all the coincidences between Kara's disappearing and Supergirl's appearances on the news. How Kara's friend Winn will always seem to lock himself out of his apartment just minutes before Supergirl shows up saving people from a burning building. She thinks of Kara's occasional slip ups.

Lena's favorite slip up thus far was when Kara walked out the balcony door to leave Lena's office at L-Corp. Lena had smiled smugly as she watched Kara allow the balcony door to close behind her before stopping dead in her tracks and turning around with a coloring in her cheeks that rivaled that of a tomato. Kara chalked it up to being tired.

"I didn't get much sleep last night," she explained before letting out a nervous laugh. Lena made Kara think that she bought it. And told her that she needed to go home and get some rest. Without sounding too prideful, Lena is a genius. The CEO of a multimillion dollar company. She didn't become all this by being gullible.

"Supergirl! No!" Alex's cry of distress brings Lena back to reality.

Alex rushes forward to meet the Martian that is carrying Supergirl as he lands next to them. Before his feet even hit the ground, Alex is grabbing the hero's limp arm and helping guide her to the ground. She gently wipes the hair from her face with such care that it makes Lena's heart ache.

Lena puts another mental tick on her list of "reasons why Kara Danvers is Supergirl."

With the way Alex cradles Supergirl's body, how she gingerly lays her head in her lap, there is no denying that there is more to the FBI worker and the superhero. _Almost like they are sisters,_ Lena thinks to herself. She had seen the Danvers sisters together before, their bond to each other so strong it almost made her jealous. _Almost._

Lena and Kara had a bond now too though. She never would have expected it when she first saw Kara come into her office with none other than the famous Clark Kent. Yet, something about the sunny reporter always engrossed Lena. She soon found herself making exceptions for Kara. Clearing her schedule when Kara needed her, being pleasantly surprised when Kara would do the same for her. They were best friends, and Lena loved Kara. Sometimes she thought her feeling for the blonde weren't strictly platonic. But she chalked it up to the fact that she had never had such a close friend before. The blonde's presence would always make her feel safe. Feel _wanted._ And for once not for her money or connections. Lena loved it.

Kara had been distant recently though. It pained Lena like nothing else to see her friend in pain, grieving the loss of her lover but not allowing herself to show her grief. She wanted to help, but she felt as if she would just make it worse. She was the reason Mon-El was gone, the reason Kara hadn't given her one of those famous "Sunny Danvers smiles" in so long. Like with mostly everything bad in her life, it was her fault. Even still, Lena would be damned if she let Kara suffer anymore from something that she caused.

Taking her mind off Kara and back to the matter at hand,Lena watches as Alex hesitates briefly before reaching her fingers out to feel under Supergirl's jawline for a pulse. The world seems to stand still as she watches Alex freeze. She waits, 3 seconds, 5, 10... But there is no sigh of relief from Alex. Instead there is an increasing look of panic.

"No, no, no, no, Kara? Come on talk to me." Alex pleads with Supergirl's lifeless form. She starts lightly tapping Kara's cheek as she continues to mumble pleas to her sister.

In her peripheral Lena watches as the detective closes her eyes and shakes her head slightly. Maggie starts to move forward catching Lena's eye as she does and tries to gauge Lena's reaction. They both caught Alex's mistake even if she was too distraught to catch it herself. She just confirmed Supergirl's identity. Here was the undeniable proof Lena had been waiting on for so long. She isn't sure how she feels about the revelation. Kara Danvers, the sweet, supportive, clumsy reporter from CatCo, is Supergirl.

Studying Lena, Maggie seems satisfied that Lena will let the issue slide for now. _Later,_ Lena tells herself. Right now, all that matters in Kara.

Getting her feet to move was hard, seemingly frozen in place by the revelation that just occurred. Maggie however, walks with purpose to Alex. She crouches down and speaks to her in a hushed soothing tone.

"She is not breathing, we need to start CPR," Maggie reasons with Alex as she makes eye contact with Lena.

 _She wants me to start CPR,_ Lena realizes. No time to waste then. She nods to Maggie as she approaches Kara's lifeless form.

Maggie drags Alex back towards Kara's legs to give her space but also stay close to Kara. There is no doubt that Alex knew everything Lena did about first aid plus some. However, she was too hysterical to put any of her knowledge to use. So, it came down to Lena to save Kara's life. Lena crouches down by the body of the Superhero, her pale skin and expressionless face so far from the usual Kara. It is crazy to think that just yesterday Kara was in her office, still dodging Lena's attempts at making plans but just as alive as ever.

 _Okay, I'm sorry if this makes our friendship weird._ Lena thinks as she prepares herself to start CPR. Putting aside her emotions she leans over and places her mouth on Kara's, trying her best to ignore the stirring of emotion in her heart as she does. She gives Kara two breaths. Chest compressions come next. One, two, three, four, five…

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten…

Eleven, twelve, thirteen…

And she continues until she reaches 30. She reaches for a pulse. Nothing.

"Please Kara fight!" Lena screams. She isn't losing her friend. Her only friend. Her _best friend._

Two more breaths and 30 more compressions later and Lena is breathing hard from the effort. She reaches for a pulse again, holding her breath while everything else in that moment fades into the background. Nothing.

"We need to get her to a hospital," Lena pauses and looks up at the other three. Tears are streaming down all their faces by now. "Or wherever you take her. Please it's not working."

"I'll take her," the Martian says with authority. "We have somewhere we can help her. Alex, Maggie, meet me there. I will fly with her, it'll be quickest that way."

Before waiting for confirmation, or even a nod, he shifts form, scoops up Kara, and takes off.


End file.
